Last year, starting late autumn and running to about mid-spring, Alex’s frustration and aggression rose to unprecedented levels. Then, these challenging behaviors tapered off—not going away completely, but subsiding to much more manageable levels. For a while, we assumed that it was due to pain. At that time, Alex was having difficulty with his teeth. At two different locations, Alex’s adult tooth was growing in without pushing the baby tooth out. His behaviors began tapering off when the last adult tooth was removed.
Now, however, I’m not so sure. Once again it’s autumn and Alex’s aggression is on the rise. His behaviors are becoming most pronounced at school environment, which is consistent with the previous year. And, it is starting to carry over at home as well.
Alex and Willy have a history of being responsive to seasonal changes in the past. When they were young and we were in the earliest stages of learning about autism, Willy would go through most of the summer getting three to five hours of sleep a day. Alex, on the other hand, would go through the same sleepless cycle in winter. Hyperactivity during the day was also a factor. Sensory overload was almost a cost. Anxiety and loss of appetite were also in evidence.
Adding to the mystery, I’ve also observed responsiveness on a shorter cycle in my children and myself. We respond to atmospheric changes. As a storm system moves in, I can feel the pressure squeezing my head. It’s like a dull, slow tightening. My head is uncomfortable and my mood shifts in a way I find difficult to control. Alex gets grumpy and irritable when a storm moves in; though he hasn’t articulated any particular sensory response to the change in weather, his behavior indicates he might feel something similar to what I experience. Ben responds more strongly when the weather system moves out, as does my mother. Willy and Mark seem unaffected.
Seasonal affective disorder indicates that a causal relationship between environmental stimulants and behavioral consequences can exist. According to the Mayo clinic, this phenomenon has three recognized subsets:
Fall and winter seasonal affective disorder (winter depression):
- Depression
- Hopelessness
- Anxiety
- Loss of energy
- Social withdrawal
- Oversleeping
- Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
- Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
- Weight gain
- Difficulty concentrating and processing information
Spring and summer seasonal affective disorder (summer depression):
- Anxiety
- Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Irritability
- Agitation
- Weight loss
- Poor appetite
- Increased sex drive
Reverse seasonal affective disorder:
- Mania or hypomania
- Elevated mood
- Agitation
- Rapid thoughts & speech
- Increased social activity
- Hyperactivity
- Unbridled enthusiasm out of proportion to the situation
Perhaps better understanding this pattern will help us better manage Alex’s challenging behaviors and relieve the distress he is experiencing. It doesn’t seem like much to go on. There is no consensus regarding what causes these behavioral changes and while some therapies are proven, there doesn’t seem to be anyway to determine which is most likely to work. It’s a start.
